1. Technical Field
The preset invention relates to an illuminated switch including an illumination mechanism that illuminates a surface (operation surface) of an operation knob from inside.
2. Related Art
A switch device has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-59561. The switch device includes a translucent indicator side guide and a light emitting material side guide, which are disposed to be separated from each other. The translucent indicator side guide is provided in an operation knob, and light beams enter the light emitting material side guide from a luminous body. In the switch device, light beams emitted from the luminous body reach the translucent indicator side guide from the light emitting material side guide, so that a translucent indicator is illuminated.
Further, the invention relating to a switch of electrical equipment for an automobile has been disclosed in FIG. 6 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-100275. The switch propagates light beams emitted from a light source in a desired direction by disposing a triangular prism at a light emitting end of an optical path member.
However, in the switch device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-59561, the directions of the light beams passing though the translucent indicator side guide are different from one another. For this reason, when being emitted from the translucent indicator side guide, light beams are apt to be dispersed in several directions. Therefore, there has been a problem in that the brightness deteriorates when an operator see the translucent indicator.
Meanwhile, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-100275 discloses a technology that solves the above-mentioned problem and propagates light beams emitted from the luminous body in a desired direction. However, there have been problems in that the amount of light is reduced at the peripheral portion of the light exit surface of the light guide member and the unevenness of brightness occurs.